Pit Fire Pottery In Your Backyard | NO Kiln!

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/ tinkerandthink
I haven't been able to throw or fire pots in the studio because...pandemic. So I've been teaching myself handbuilding and alternative firing techniques--specifically, pit firing. Here's what I've learned so far! You can do this anywhere you're able to build a fire, and you don't need any equipment--just the clay.
Sorry the video is so long--it contains all the information I think is necessary to have a successful pit fire and to understand what makes the difference between success and breakage. If you don't know what you're doing, all your pots will blow up. If you know what you're doing, things turn out beautifully. If you watch this video, you'll know what you're doing!
0:41 What is clay
1:33 What happens when you fire clay
2:49 Making pots--what to consider
4:55 After the pots are made--prep for firing
5:43 The pit
6:29 The fire--initial fire, fuel
7:11 Warming the pots
8:16 Colorants
www.upinsmokepottery.com/colo...
ceramicartsnetwork.org/potter...
10:25 Adding pots to fire
11:40 Bonfire!
13:02 Covering the fire
14:19 Using your pots
14:58 Pit fire reveal
Music by Jake Shane: / jakeshanemusic

[@tinkerandthink]

If you are interested in another way to fire your pottery in your backyard, check out this simple gas kiln you can make: kzbin.info/www/bejne/joXLaWmGp72Ur68

[@peterhughes5732]

Thanks

[@damlasminiatures2526]

I use microwave kiln and so far very happy with it but I make miniature pottery mostly so it's easier

[@cecilesepervier1]

@@damlasminiatures2526 how do you proceed?

[@zamleejoel]

What percentage of grog should I add.

[@LifeOfNigh]

We started raku firing in my 2nd year of fine Arts pottery class, and I have to say, it was my least favourite of the whole 4 years. LOL. But I'm a bit of a control freak, and hated not having control over the colours and textures. my style is sgraffito, not really workable with Raku.,

[@punkydoggear8172]

We had some Native American potters come show us how to make pottery their way. I was in 4th grade... 45 yo now. They had us rub the pottery with a smooth rock and I remember they burned our pottery in a dug pit behind the school. My mother still has my pot. It is the most beautiful color I've ever seen.

[@archkull]

That's so wonderful. My school did something similar when I was a kid, (Not native americans though, I am not in America). Unfortunately my mother chose to use it as an ashtray and it disappeared a year or so ago, over a decade after I'd made it someone probably broke it :(

[@kayekaye251]

I also like to use the back of my fingernails like they use the rock, "burnishing" it.

[@arianaink100]

The smooth stone is called a varnishing stone they are any flat stone typically river rocks or smoothed quartz. and are used to finish the surface of ceramics. clay is platelets, stacked and parallel ontop of eachother and between them air and water molecules. it’s good to condense the surface by smoothing it, think of buffing a surface of a car with wax, you’re filling in microscopic gaps to get something foe the goal of it being more resistant to damage. Smoother =finer surface= microscopic protection. It also looks shiny and pretty And pockets and scratches in ceramic is decorative because gashes and holes on a surface are just habitats for bacteria to grow if not well maintained

[@ZerqTM]

ah was gonna mention that they do that in africa too i think... its and old technique used in a bunch of places probably... i mean its kind easy to re-discover...

[@jegr3398]

That's awesome. The 80's were a great time to grow up.

[@justinthiessen7266]

"I'm not an expert by any means" and then proceeds to teach me more in 18 minutes than my art teacher did in 5 years

[@gulaliface]

Yeaahh...hahaaa..

[@VespertilioGiganticus]

You don't pay attention to your teacher, thats why.

[@justinthiessen7266]

@@VespertilioGiganticus not all teachers are good at their job. Just like not all idiots who reply to comments on KZbin are as smart as they think.

[@VespertilioGiganticus]

@@justinthiessen7266 I agree.

[@200stars5]

Ha same, I have a degree in ceramics and this video is super helpful

[@PseudoPhlegm]

I like your approach and screen presence. No frills or click baiting nonsense. No over the top fake personality. A genuine representation of you and your knowledge/ experimentation. Thank you for being sincere.

[@tinkerandthink]

But did you SMASH THAT LIKE BUTTON??!? Haha thanks for the appreciation 🙏

[@pomegranatepip2482]

I don’t know hey………. I think his left eyebrow is fake. It’s drawn in…….

[@lakshmirane2412]

The calmness in this video..no music...no anxiety.. just peace..I love it❤️🌻

[@thelittlelenora]

I as well 🥰

[@anveshavyas450]

I think I love him ❤😂😅😅

[@baibalowther2503]

Melt beeswax, and rub it onto the pots as you take them out. This gives a wonderful, soft lustre or sheen to the work, especially if it has been burnished. Great work. Your video is succinct, easy to watch and learn from. Cheers from an old potter in Australia 🙏

[@Goldenhawk583]

Does it also provide a filling in of the pores, so that the items can be used for food making/ eating from?

[@baibalowther2503]

So far as I know, the carbon trapped within the body of clay fired to a high enough temperature that it “ rings” when you flick it should be okay food wise. The beeswax does absorb into the pores, so can be used for eating, drinking. In Latvia there is a heap of potters who make reduction fires black ware, and they do the beeswax thing. Cups, bowls etc. burnishing can disappear at higher temperatures, so the wax can replace that sheen to a degree. Hope this helps, in any case, worth a try!! Cheers 🌈

[@Goldenhawk583]

@@baibalowther2503 It helps a heap, thank you very much:)

[@justinweaver7543]

I have even taken low fired burnished wear and applied beeswax to the pieces while heating in my oven. Pure beeswax is quite durable and I have used some of those bowls every day for over ten years.

[@archkull]

@@justinweaver7543 did you refinish with beeswax in those decades? Because even if it is durable I doubt it wouldn't need regular refinishing. Even wood needs to be re-waxed.

[@03dinatale]

As a ceramic major I can say you’ve approached this in the most accessible wonderfully educational way! Would love to see more 😊

[@sam.nothanks]

Wait. Ceramics is a major?! What do you study? Like historical/ archeological? Or the art/ hands on/ sculpture ? Or some other variation im not even aware of. (Actually very interested lol)

[@amyeff7279]

@@sam.nothanks admissions.wvu.edu/academics/majors/ceramics many universities have programs.

[@sam.nothanks]

@@amyeff7279 great. Thanks. But I'm actually not going to check out that link. Im not American, and I was actually asking what a cermerics major does. Not bc I'm interested in taking the course, but bc, as a 40 yo adult it wasn't common (in my country 20+ years ago)

[@amyeff7279]

@@sam.nothanks thanks for sharing. Yes, it's a major and while all universities don't have programs besides art and art history there are also engineering programs. I know of one program where ceramics artists have even gotten involved in conservation projects for wildlife creating durable nesting cavities for birds.

[@megankaczmarczyk]

@@sam.nothanks at my university our ceramics classes involve some lectures about history but most of it is creating art from clay. Every project we do is different. Sone projects are for functional objects like cups, bowls, or plates and other projects are for more sculptural pieces. My university gives us glazes to paint on our pieces but we can buy our own glazes from a clay store. We have hand building ceramics classes and ceramics classes that uses the potter's wheel. There is a lot of variety with clay.

[@Brainhoneywalker]

Excellent lesson!! Items for color in firing: seaweed, banana peel. hemp twine, eucalyptus leaves, copper shavings or small wire scraps.

[@ekosh6266]

In the past non vitrified pots were used to hold water. As it leaks through the pores and evaporates, it cools the water inside (a lot) so it's perfect for cool water in hot climates and no electricity.

[@tinkerandthink]

I love this--one of those things that makes sense when you hear it, but not something I've ever thought of before! I'm definitely going to try this out some time this summer.

[@vineetashekhawat3150]

Still done in India

[@Ninasim123]

❤ widely used in Brasil known as "Filtro de barro and "moringa"

[@ServantKing72]

Fire Safety Tips, Make sure the pit is 10 feet + away from all structures and trees, also make sure the ground you dig your pit in is not made up of roots, debris and other in ground burnable materials, you can have ground fires happen in certain areas, be mindful that just because you are in a hole, that doesn't mean it is fire proof!

[@ingozingo626]

Another tip is if you have a hose, spray the surrounding ground and trees so they won't catch if things get a little wild

[@mirrage42]

And fire can travel out of sight under ground via old vegetation, then flare up away from the starting point.

[@aprilclark3720]

I love this... I teach High School Ceramics and am honestly considering leaving this for students to watch when I am out. Nice job.

[@tinkerandthink]

Thanks! You’ve got my blessing 😂

[@BoobooSnafu]

I did ceramics at both college and university level, and wish I'd seen this video first. He really does cover all the basic understanding one needs to understand the whole process. I mean, were never taught the process behind the firing....and to this day, I cant work out why. We just handed stuff to our teacher to fire . I think this is concise and to the point .....and adds reality - things do break . I wish my teachers had been able show a video like this .

[@donnachandler1891]

I have shown this video to my HS Life Skills students. They LOVED it!

[@annanicholson5309]

Yes!

[@StolenSweetroll64]

I don't think I can do any of the steps required in this process without my neighbors calling the cops on me, but this was very informative and it seems like a fun and rewarding hobby.

[@Kayenne54]

Digging that rectangular hole would have been my neighbour's first red flag. 😁😁 And then looking shifty...

[@samTollefson]

Back on the commune in Western WV in the 70's we fired local clay in a similar way using sawdust. There were many mobile sawmills that worked in the area and we would gather large burlap bags of sawdust and dry it out on plastic tarps, it was a mix of hardwoods but largely oak which gave beautiful earth tones to the fired pots and plates. The pottery was stacked in the greenhouse to dry for months over the summer than we built dry brick kilns spacing the bricks an inch or so apart for airflow during the burn. Everything was stacked on a layer of sawdust, each item filled with sawdust and layered with more sawdust and pottery ( about 3 maybe 4 items high) finished with about 6" of packed sawdust on top. We would start a fire on the top and let it burn to coals and spread the coals around evenly to get all the sawdust burning than cover the brick pile with tin roofing so it would just smolder. Started in the morning it would often smolder all night and into the next day. the whitish clay would take on all different beautiful colors. I don't remember a lot of breakages although there were some. Thanks for bringing back those old days. Great video!

[@michirhythm]

Hey Sam...what commune did you live in t WV? I am a potter born in WV. Always fun to learn something new about where I grew up.

[@samTollefson]

@@michirhythm I was one of many from the DC suburb of Wheaton, MD. Our place was outside of Middlebourne, WV in the Northwestern part of the state, South of Wheeling and north of Clarksburg. It was called Marjorie Run. I bought a couple of other places in the area in the early '70s. It was a really beautiful place, there was not strip mining or mountain top removal in Tyler or neighboring Countys, although the timber people did a good job of tearing up the land. It was hard to find work unless you were related to someone local, I was lucky because I started a construction business and made my own work. There was a Japanese potter in the area I would see at craft fairs that made really nice stuff, I can't remember his name but recall he lived in a place that had free gas and it cost him nothing to fire his kilns, I think He got his clay locally also I bought a piece or two from him whenever I ran into him, I have one of his first porcelain pieces, He didn't want to sell it but we were kind of friends and he remembered that I always bought pieces from him. What part of WV are you from? [e-mail]

[@tomkinsky771]

@@samTollefson Thanks for all this background info Sam! Recently retired at 56, I am looking for fun projects to throw myself into and as pottery has always appealed to me, making pots and stuff is at the top of my list! Videos like this, and helpful commentary like yours, give me great insight and ideas!. PS I am a caver as well, have been to WV several times from my MA home for caving. Love Franklin, WV, great caves there, as well as Greenbriar area!

[@tigq1430]

Hi Sam Hi Tom. Western NC here. Come check out John C Folk Schook in Brasstown NC. They have a great assortment of classes. Also, the area & its surroundings have abundant of outdoor activities. ✌

[@mikedumas2101]

Very cool, going to add it to the list of a 1,000 other things I would like to do.

[@womanzuzu9688]

Lol

[@peterwood8421]

#1. Pre-heating pots in your oven should NEVER be over 212F or 100C. This is the point at which water is driven off as steam, and it is the internal pressure of expanding steam that causes pottery to explode. This is especially true for smoother, finer-grained, un-grogged clays (grog opens the clay body and helps steam to escape). Thicker ware is most at risk of steam explosions, so dry it longer, but two hours in a 200F oven is plenty for most pots. Higher heat in your oven does not add any additional strength. There remains some chemically-bonded water that gets driven off at about 1100F, but your kitchen oven won't cure that problem. #2. Too much grog will reduce the plasticity of clay to the point where rolling coils may be difficult because the coils split or crack when bent. Grog stiffens the raw clay, but you can compensate for this by dampening your fingers, or by rolling coils on a sightly-dampened cloth-covered surface. GOOD PRESENTATION OVERALL!

[@Lowlitstudio]

Hugely appreciated this video. My dad was a well known artist (he taught pottery at a few different colleges and university) eventually the silica dust from all his years doing pottery gave him COPD. He died in 2017. I didn't know him well and never had the chance to learn from him, and so I'm learning now. When he was dying, and I was scared to lose him and all his knowledge he told me to learn "from KZbin"

[@wigglesworth3717]

Wow, I’ve been looking for a video like this. I have a vain of natural clay here in the mid-Willamette Vally in Oregon. This stuff is weirdly clean and fires into a dark burgundy color with sparkles. My friend made a small sculpture from it and fired it in a small dental kiln and I was very surprised it looked so refined. Thank you for the data, I’m all in!

[@lyrebird9749]

Hi, did you end up firing any clay ?

[@yaronimus1]

wonderful video. if you use wooden pallets, make sure they are marked HT (Heat Treated) and not MB (Methil Bromide) which is toxic.

[@kennethstensrud669]

A tip, use a large terracotta pot turned upside down, and stack your pottery inside, build a huge bonfire above and around this pot, and let burn for about 12 hours.... or if you are able to, get a couple of sacks of cinders to burn the pottery with.

[@nowirehangers2815]

I was wondering about just this the other day!.

[@bhartley1024]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saggar

[@lesliehowells]

Would a saggar prevent some of the wonderful coloration associated with pit firing?

[@kennethstensrud669]

@@lesliehowells probably, it is designed to protect the ceramics inside. But a small gap would let smoke etc in and perhaps colour your goods.

[@theundomesticatedmom6440]

I used to be a skilled artist with pottery when I was a kid and had access to unlimited clay and a kiln. Waited my whole adult life to get a kiln, I don’t want to wait anymore. Hoping to make some pieces in my backyard (even if it blows) without a kiln.

[@marshallkohlhaas80]

stop waiting what you what in for!! ahhhahahaa

[@agatelicker1095]

So... How'd it go!?

[@kayekaye251]

So did you do it? I wish I could. As things open up more, I sure am going to try.

[@RoxyRaccoonEyes]

the gorgeous pottery you've made resemble your gorgeous kitty. coincidence? I think not. carry on

[@celestesantos7103]

I have loved and worked with ceramics for most of my life and coming from Africa, I especially love traditional methods of making and firing. I am so very pleased to have come across your caring and clear guidance aimed at those who are attempting these beautiful old and creative methods. All too often details are skimmed over and small but important considerations and proceedures are left out, leaving learner to discover the hard way and often disheartened. Thank you for putting in all the extra effort and info. Parabens! from Portugal

[@theterminaldave]

Went into this video not expecting much, was pleasantly surprised! Good pacing, nice delivery, no excessive filler, and even a payoff of seeing the fired pots at the end. Very cool. Subscribed!

[@HawkMan96001]

Great video. You're a calming teacher.

[@vanessapuhlmann1721]

Literally HOW did anyone press thumbs down.. I'm 2 minutes in and LOVE this so much. Thank you thank you for all the super useful, easy to digest info!

[@merryhunt9153]

I will never be a potter, but I enjoyed learning all this. As a birdwatcher, I'm intrigued by the bird I can hear in your yard.

[@matthewgryczan8560]

Excellent video! You explain all of the most important aspects of pit firing in clear terms with great DIY images. You've anticipated what viewers will need to know for them to try it for themselves. Great job!

[@anveshavyas450]

The guy is explainin everything so simply that I simply❤him

[@Cristina97]

Thanks for the video. In eastern europe we absolutely use unglazed pots for cooking. The only rules are to keep them submerged in water for at least 30mins before cooking in them, and to never clean them with detergents. Usually with metal sponges or salt rubs. Never had an issue.

[@Sherlonkah]

I'm a retired art teacher. This video is well done and informative. Hope you do more that's ceramics related.

[@AtomicShrimp]

Fantastic video - I love your calm, clear explanations

[@gilmag1348]

Any suggestions for cold weather? Like Chicago winter?

[@Hope_IsNotMyName]

Sir, you are everywhere. I tip my hat to you.

[@feedingmysoul7195]

Agreed, it was very well made

[@18IMAMGODINA]

Mr. Barrister John Barosa?

[@elliotsimpson-rooke917]

skunk

[@RaraAvis1138]

Omg the "cats live here" comment got me big time. Yes, please do not burn down the neighborhood😻 Phew! Learned a lot in this video. Cant wait to actually do it.

[@bazzahughes1]

beautifully taught, i'm a beginner and found this completely informative. well done.

[@jerrywhidby.]

6:15 👀 The neighbors looking at my oddly sized hole.

[@katewelsh3328]

I love that you drop science on us, improve our vocabulary then humbly make something stunning all like, “what, I’m cute?”

[@mebrowneyedgirl]

I love how your finished pot has the same colours as your cat 😊

[@migalito1955]

Fabulous. As a painter I always like to try other art medium but without necessarily breaking the bank. I had no idea you could achieve a durable firing with a pit fire. This allows for lots of potential without lots of expense.

[@katszabo13]

I have a shovel, and I'm ready to eat dinner on my shattered (but home fired!) plates

[@anotherellisd]

As he says towards the end of the video, since the clay won't be vitrified or glazed it's still porous so you can't use the pieces to eat off of or hold liquids. It will ruin the pieces over time, and you will likely also be eating any carbon or minerals you used for color. I would highly recommend NOT making functional ware with a pit fire!

[@katszabo13]

@@anotherellisd Don't worry, "dinner" was going to be dry toast. If my test piece didn't blow up like a firecracker that is

[@anotherellisd]

@@katszabo13 even so, wouldn't recommend it. You wouldn't even be able to wash the plate.

[@beggsnachin]

For the record, I've been drinking coffee with milk and honey out of a pit fired cup made from our local clay. Washing it with soap and water, the whole bit. For a year or two. There are a lot of things folks say you "can't" do. Maybe that word should be "shouldn't do". My Cherokee ancestors pit fired round bottom pots they cooked stew in nestled in coals in the fire. Gosh. We're all just dead. Lol

[@beggsnachin]

Also, I've got some low temp glaze, and if I can matter this firing process decently, then glazing in a container to protect our is the next project on my list.

[@ClaLu]

Oh yes, I'm from Chile and here is how it's done by treasure women that preserve the traditional techniques like Quinchamalí and Pomaire, personally I enjoy using them a lot more than other more "sophisticated" utensils...From a sensory point of view the sound of this ceramics is so much gentle ❤️

[@meadowclaybrook2675]

Wow you have teachers witching your videos and teaching them a thing or two.. probably about their approach to teaching.. good job!

[@ElliottRodgers]

Fascinating and on a side note ; In shot near end of video Tilly has amazing colours.

[@rubyfirefly2582]

Wonderfully presented! Thank you so much. So much dry grass so near the fire pit did make me nervous though. I would recommend that if people try this to clear an area 5' - 10' wide around the pit in case of sparks. All it takes is one spark to hit a dry piece of grass and bye-bye neighborhood!

[@alimay1011]

Hands down the most instructive and least annoying video on raku pottery for "anyone" that I have seen. I have been marathon watching pottery videos as have been sick and want to get into it when I am better, so my comment is not BS. You have simplified things but also explained the meaning of terms so well. Congrats and thanks

[@ViKee010]

Those bowls tell a story and it’s a better one than if they had been teased from the earth with all the latest gadgets. You are a natural teacher. Thank you for imparting your wisdom. 👍🏼🤍

[@PeterSFam]

Well on the bright side for those that broke/cracked you can practice kinsuki

[@let_uslunch8884]

How did KZbin know I like this form of pottery when I have never looked it up?

[@Swanky11]

The Almighty Algorithm

[@let_uslunch8884]

@@Swanky11 well of course the KZbin overlord. How could I have been so daft.

[@zaneslocombe8008]

Beautiful! It is almost like sitting round the fire with your ancestors and they left a gift behind of a magnificent piece of pottery.

[@MataH1]

Great explanations and perfect video, no music, nothing useless, great to wtite up the technical words, thanks!

[@samwilbur6155]

Thank you so much for sharing this process and explanation very well done and beautiful pots! I was thinking at the end "it matches the kitty"! Then hear you say the same thing haha! Time to get pottering!

[@iLoveTurtlesHaha]

6:57 ... "just make sure you ask permission" ... looks around suspiciously as he narrates that line. XD

[@Kayenne54]

Digging large hole, looking shifty.....

[@bronzeladdy53]

This is just right. LOVE the low tech angle because it says 'you can do this' and mistakes are ok. And, MAN that big pot is a beauty!

[@vanessarundlett6644]

You are the Bob Ross of DIY videos. I appreciate you, deeply.

[@EverydayProjects]

Very cool ! My wife has done lots of conventional pottery firings, including wood-fired, but hasn't tried this one. I'm not a potter, but watching your video has inspired me to try this. When the weather improves, we're going to give this a go! New subscriber to your channel!

[@helenefagan4896]

Thank you so much for this video, just what I was looking for. I learned more from you than from a Raku course I had taken in the past.

[@govindamparamanandam1]

Thanks for breaking down the details with such simplicity.

[@sbein305mia]

I’ve been dreaming of just about everything you discuss on your channel for about two years now and just moved into a new home where I am also dreaming of collecting wild Clay and building a pit in my backyard to fire them. finding you today feels like finding a missing key❤

[@tinkerandthink]

That's awesome! I hope you'll share your progress, and reach out with any questions!

[@Gothmogdabalrog]

I'm not a potter, but I know enough about fire to make a suggestion to get vitrification. Find a small fan of some sort (preferably with variable speed) attached to a length of ducting aimed at the base of the flames. Combine that with some charcoal added periodically and you should be able to get to the right temperature. Good ideas on the rest of it.

[@eclosion8000]

This video was extremely helpful as someone whos new to both ceramics and pit firing, thanks for the informative video!

[@tinkerandthink]

So glad I could help! Hope you have fun with it. And please share your process and results!

[@becky3930]

Hello thank you for your time, Wanted to share my story. First I am an artist and work in different medias. Love clay! I had a new septic system put in. My yard is mostly red clay, Northern Minnesota fyi I have refined blue clay from Oregon. Anyway I had the septic guys save me out the clay. My pile is about 15 foot high and40 feet around. LOVE CLAY again thank you!!!!

[@chrisallen1934]

Thank you for this super informative video. Thank you for not tarting it up with music and goofy graphics. I’m trying to imagine my neighbors not calling the police as I dig a large pit in my backyard…but you know, Idaho seems way more laissez faire. I envy you the freedom to play and experiment in your own back yard and I hope you’ll share more ideas here.

[@ntanner77]

Excellent video. I love the useful information delivered in a simple and straight forward manner, without all the fluff. Well done.

[@jennynelson170]

GREAT video! Beautiful pots. I'm inspired to try this.. thank you for explaining so clearly and calmly.

[@tinkerandthink]

Let me know how it goes when you try it!

[@paulschmolke188]

Well, I have a huge yard and lotsa wood, mostly juniper, I also have a good shovel. There’s clay nearby if I’d go dig it out. The people that lived here centuries ago used this same stuff and I find bits of their pottery in my yard occasionally. Some is quite nice, some is just utilitarian, all of it is thought provoking. The Pueblo is called San Marcos and it’s within a mile of my house. They left no history and are largely unaccounted for except for their pottery. Maybe I’ll give it a try, I’ve made pots before but in a studio environment with all kinds of control. It’s fun but this looks challenging and the results can be quite nice as you’ve shown.

[@amarynth100]

the big one has same colors as your cat .came out so beautiful and original 💗

[@Flying_Flaming_Emu_Army]

I love when people get that fealing "I'm really proud of that one" love you fella thanks I'm making some pots of my own for collecting pine pitch and things of that nature

[@tinkerandthink]

That sounds awesome, I'd love to see how it turns out if you want to share

[@johnmorales7415]

Thank you for your hard work and patience this was the most informative comprehensive video on this subject I've seen thank you

[@solveigas4899]

Thank you so much for the video! please keep making more on pottery, you are so good at explaining stuff!

[@natureboytom]

Absolutely Beautiful & absolutely what I was searching for… Finally, Thsnk You!

[@AlaskanBookwyrm]

As a teenager my friends and I got permission from our art teacher to build a brick raku kiln behind the school, so I've done a lot of kiln firing but never a pit firing. This looks fantastic, and is definitely now on my list of things to try. I will say a warning for anyone using a raku or low-temperature glaze on their pots, DO NOT use the pottery fire to cook food on while your pot is firing no matter how practical it seems. We toasted marshmallows over ours and got sick from eating copper and iron fumes.

[@LycorisAcissejDur]

This was such a great, informative video, and the final results are gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@apple6ification]

You are a really great presenter of information, I have been interested in learning more about pit firing. This was really clear and helpful! Thankyou for this video!

[@thelittlelenora]

I love the colors pattern of your pot, plus it matches your kitty, so special!

[@TheDaybreakAngel]

Thank you for taking the time to share your expertise. Sewing lavender and nasturtiums today. First of the year is always so hopeful. ❤

[@hendrikjewarmerdam1163]

Love that you think your pot matches the cat. Pleasant slow, very informative video to watch. I'm gonna try it soon!

[@martilittle5518]

Thanks for sharing...loved the end products!

[@kjirstenboucher9682]

This is such a great video! You packed in so much valuable information. When I was a teen, a local Native American man taught a small group of us how to collect , clean and make our own clay from nature. It was great. He didn't show us how to pit fire but explained it to us in detail. I tried it, but I got impatient in uncovering the pit too early and temperature shocked the bowl, which shattered it. I think now I might give it a go again, but maybe try some of the additives for coloring the clay. I feel experiments coming on,...lol!😅😂

[@Ciaoooo]

I love hearing the birds in the background.

[@brycejohnson3347]

Beautifully filmed and easy to understand! Thank you for this incredibly helpful video

[@1212haro]

Best video I have seen on this subject! Thank you ❤️

[@sannevanbeers]

This is such a kalm, clear, and overall greatly informative video. So interesting thank you!

[@sonofeloah]

I have watched enough videos on this subject and offered similar suggestions that some tried and found worked really well. First, you obviously want the fire to get hotter. This can be done by running some steel pipe into the bottom of the fire pit and placing rocks and or fire brick loosely and over the open end of the pipe. It would help even more if you can get enough elbows to cause the pipe to curve around the walls of the fire pit on its way down to the bottom. And a low-pressure blower into the pipe so the air is heated and fed into the fire from below and thus make a very high-temperature fire. Second, the japanese wood fired their pots to make them all the way black, both outside and inside. As the carbon not only helps to seal the pots, thus making them even more watertight, it also bonds into the clay and makes it stronger, more durable. Now, what I came up with is the use of saw chips produced by a chainsaw. Or get woodchips from a local arborist who has a chipper and use those wood chips. Of course, they need to be very dry. The pots are filled with the chips before building the fire over the pots. That way the oxygen is driven out very fast and the wood smolders into ash and thus released the carbon that is now trapped inside the pots and as the fire gets hotter, one can get that carbon to evenly coat the inside of the pots. This is also a similar method for melting metals which is what I do as for the type of fire pitting you are doing. If I can fire melt steel or cobalt, then surely you can fire fuse your pots.

[@tinkerandthink]

A hotter fire will vitrify the clay, making it stronger and more durable (unless you're using a low-fire clay). The advantage of this kind of pit fire is its simplicity, and the interesting coloration that results. These pots are decorative, and so they don't really suffer from not getting hotter. But you're right, there are lots of design principles that can be employed to make a hotter fire. The downside is they require more knowledge, planning, materials, and often space. Some day in the future I'll likely make videos showing some of those processes, but for now, this kind of primitive pit fire is a process that does what it does and works as intended. If someone wants to fire glazed dinnerware to cone 10 in their backyard, they'd better build a kiln.

[@sonofeloah]

@@tinkerandthink: Actually, you could run such a pipped airflow to raise the heat of your pit with the same pit you are using right now and it would be a vast improvement. It also would allow you to glaze the pots.

[@BlueDingo555]

I used to work at Shapes Of Clay in Graham Wa and still have many pieces that I’ve made. Great video on the firing process,I didn’t know it could be done without a kiln… I’d love to make a few more pieces…

[@francisekitela9946]

Simple video,well explained and a ton of vital information herein.thumbs up for you bro!!

[@aswathirajan7963]

Best clay video with a scientific explanation.....by the way I like this guys hair

[@mabdub]

Your attitude and your values are refreshing. I'm especially impressed with the care and appreciation you obviously have for your talented brother, Jake Shane. I didn't know who he was but I went to his site to check him out and I enjoyed his music. I play classical piano music a lot but I also enjoy the likes of Tom Waits, a lot. Your description of your brother's musical style was spot on. His music is reminiscent of the other artists you mentioned but I can hear that he definitely has his own niche. Glad I came across your channel, I subscribed. I really liked the pottery you fired, especially the bowl. It reminds me of a beat up brown leather wallet I had for about 30 years until it became totally unusable, kept it anyway, it looked like my life, like your pottery, like your bowl. Thanks for sharing the videos. Take care.

[@aryanahartwell3801]

Well done, my man, well done. Very clear, precise and understandable explanation of all the different chemical processes clay goes through in firings.

[@25michelleee]

This video was really wonderful and helpful, thank you! :)

[@Beardqt]

This is one of the most concise and well thought out videos about clay I've found so far in the recommended world tour

[@tinkerandthink]

High praise! Thank you

[@chrisdunstan9701]

Hey there, we are in the bush, off the grid. We are trying out several methods using our slow combustion Metters No.2. Drying and colouring. After drying the pots, we place them in the oven and start the fire. After an hour or so with the stove going flat out they are removed from the oven using welding gloves and placed upside down on the cooktop with the element removed. It helps in the pot is just larger than the cast iron element. This way they are hot and the smoke colours the inside of the pot, and the integrity of the stove burning is kept. Firing. Let the fire die down so there is coals to sit the pot on. I use a stringy bark to make a layer for the pot to sit on, also I fill the pot with small bits of bark that will burn. Then build the fire up around the pot with light, dry hardwood and stringy bark. I can get the pots to white hot in the firebox. Keep it going hot for an hour or so and then let it cool down overnight. Works a treat!

[@tomkinsky771]

Helpful instructions, thanks! Looking forward to trying something like this as an early retirement project. And a big thank you as well to all the helpful comments people have added, suggesting various safety tips and other materials to add colors, etc.

[@loisruane2636]

Beautiful pottery it has a natural look to it that isn’t found in thrown pottery! Gorgeous ❤️

[@1NeoSoulChild]

So is everyone really going to ignore the fact that the pot really matches Tilly? Like beautifully!!!

[@jackstrubbe7608]

When I lived in Florida, I regularly workshopped with Seminole in their traditional beach pit firings. The salts in the sands affected the surface wonderfully.

[@blakedblake6143]

Great Video. I like the way you approach teaching. You broached many of the pitfalls of such a technique and told us WHY that cant happen, not just the dos and don'ts. That gave me a better sense of what's really going on in the fire and in the clay and that makes me happy. Please, would love to see more like this. Now Ill go watch another. :)

[@juliasartmark2828]

Excellent description of this process! I've done trash can firings with some success, but this gave me more details and info for what was actually happening to the clay, and how to get colour variation.

[@daezhanehunt3841]

As a beginner this taught me a lot within a short period of time. Very cool

[@flgardener1155]

What a nice speaking voice -- calm and soothing.

[@lesliehowells]

Thank you so much for this. Your explanations are clear and incredibly informative.

[@krazedvintagemodel]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and showing how this can be done. I now have a better, though basic, understanding which I hope to use making jewelry components.

[@delijahify]

Wow. Amazing explanation. Everything you need to know about pit firing delivered in 17 minutes. Great job!

[@delijahify]

Some additions.. - Some woods generate different lower and other higher temperatures when burning. Beech and Oak for example is good to reach high temperatures. - I usually burn my stuff for 4 hours (full on) - If you want to have a pot that can contain water, you have to polish the inside of the pot (with a smooth surfaced tool like a spoon or a polished stone). The smoother the surface, the higher the chance that the pot will be waterproof

[@tinkerandthink]

Thank you!